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Archive for the ‘Marthaspeak’ Category

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Onions w/Rosemary and Parmesan

Posted in Everyday Food, Marthaspeak, Tasty Tidbits Tuesday, tagged , , , , , , , , , on November 30, 2010| 2 Comments »

A sweet potato.

Image via Wikipedia

TASTY TIDBITS TUESDAY

Last week in the New York Times, there was an article heralding the merits of Sweet Potatoes and their rise in culinary popularity.  Lighter in sugars than yams and with a bit of protein, they are now appearing on menus all around town; sweet potato fries, baked sweet potatoes and mashed sweet potatoes.  This recipe is is a favorite of mine and I think more suited to a Christmas dinner than Thanksgiving!  This could be the beginning of the  Count-Down to Christmas Dinner.

2 3/4 lb sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1″ cubes

8 TBS of Canola oil

3 garlic cloves minced

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp coarsely ground pepper

1 1/2 lb red onions (3 medium), halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/4″ slices

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 TBS chopped fresh parsley

Set one rack in center and one on lowest position – preheat oven 375 degrees.

Line 2 large baking sheets with foil.  Place sweet potatoes on one; drizzle with 6 TBS of oil.  Sprinkle with garlic, 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper – toss to coat, then spread in a single layer.

Place onions on second baking sheet, drizzle with 2 remaining TBS oil, sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper, toss to coat.  Spread in single layer.

Place sheet with potatoes on center rack and sheet with onions on lower rack in oven. Roast until potatoes are tender and onions are tender and brown around the edges, stirring every 10 minutes, about 30 minutes total for potatoes and 35 for onions.

Can be prepared 4 hours ahead of time, let stand at room temperature, covered loosely with foil.  Rewarm in 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes.

Combine potatoes and onions in shallow bowl. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and rosemary and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.


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Count-Down to Thanksgiving Dinner-Stuffing the Bird

Posted in Everyday Food, Marthaspeak, Tasty Tidbits Tuesday, tagged , , , , , on November 24, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Someone stuffing a turkey

Image via Wikipedia

Or NOT – for the past few years I’ve opted to bake the stuffing separately and not in the bird.  When you have an empty cavity you can put onions and lemons inside, and you don’t have to get all gooey while trying to jam the stuffing in – and if you are using meat in your stuffing, I definitely would not want it inside the turkey because by the time you were sure the sausage had cooked through, your turkey could be dry and overdone.  Anyway, that’s just my opinion and this blog is really about the stuffing itself.

There are probably hundreds of stuffing variations; regional choices dictate certain ingredients, generational recipes passed down over the years, perhaps tweaked a bit here and there.  I’ve made all kinds of stuffings;  my mother-in-law’s recipe (see   previous blog http://wp.me/pNyWj-19g), basic bread stuffing, sausage and chestnut dressing, sage stuffing and god knows how many others for Thanksgivings past.

This year it’s going to be Celery-Herb Stuffing.  I’ve picked this stuffing for this year because I’m doing most of the cooking myself, and Peter has been telling me for two weeks “not to overdo it”.  So I’m hoping this stuffing won’t be too difficult and I think it will complement the Roast Turkey with Rosemary and Lemon.

CELERY – HERB STUFFING

7 TBS unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish

1 loaf rustic white bread, crusts removed and cut into 1/2″ cubes

1 celery Root (1 1/2 lb) peeled and cut into 1/2″ dice

Coarse salt and pepper

2 TBS Olive oil

3 celery stalks, thinly sliced on the diagonal

2 medium onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced in half-moons

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cup extra dry vermouth

1/2 to 1 3/4 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken stock

1/2 tsp poultry seasoning (such as Bell’s)

3 TBS coarsely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

3 1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh sage

2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme

2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary

3-4 large eggs lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt 5 TBS butter in a skillet.  Toss with bread cubes in a large bowl.  Spread in a single layer on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Toast in oven, tossing once, until golden about 29 minutes.  Let cool completely.

Place celery root in a medium saucepan; add salted cold water to cover.  Bring to boil; reduce heat, and simmer until soft, about 15 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

Heat oil and remaining 2 TBS of butter in a large skillet over MEDIUM-HIGH heat.  Add vermouth, cook, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until it bubbles.  Pour over bread-vegetable mixture.  Stir in 1/2 cup stock, the poultry seasoning, and herbs; season with salt and pepper. Stir in 3 eggs.

Stir in 1 1/4 cup stock.  Stir in an egg.  Spoon into buttered 13″ by 9″  baking dish, and dot generously with butter.  Cover with   foil, and bake at 375 degrees, 25 minutes.  Uncover, and bake until golden brown, 10-15 minutes more.

Recipe from Martha Stewart Living

 

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Count-Down to Thanksgiving Dinner-Green Bean Not Quite Casserole

Posted in Everyday Food, Marthaspeak, tagged , , , , on November 20, 2010| 1 Comment »

Whole green beans in a carton

Image via Wikipedia

Every year I’ve made “the” green bean-mushroom soup-onion ring casserole; known in my house as “the white-trash casserole”.  My children are so descriptive… NOT this year!! What I’m making is a  sophisticated adult version à la Martha. I think it’s going to be great and it’s heart-healthy too.

Green Beans with Creamy Mushrooms and Shallots

1 3/4 lb green beans trimmed

1 TBS plus 1 1/2 tsp olive oil

2 large shallots, thinly-sliced (1/2 cup)

3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth

2 tsp cornstarch

8 oz cremini mushrooms, trimmed, sliced to 1/8″ thick

1/3 cup 2 percent Greek yogurt

Coarse salt and ground pepper

Bring large pot of water to boil.  Blanch beans until tender, about 6 minutes.  Drain.

Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 tsp oil in a large non-stick skillet over MEDIUM heat.  Cook shallots, stirring occasionally, until tender and just starting to brown, 3 – 4 minutes.  Transfer shallots to a small bowl, and wipe skillet clean with  paper towel.

Whisk together stock and cornstarch.  Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in skillet over HIGH heat.  Cook mushrooms, stirring occasionally until golden brown, about 6 minutes.  Reduce heat to low, add shallots.  Whisk in stock mixture. Cook until thick, about 3 minutes more.  Remove from heat.  Stir in yogurt and 1/2 tsp salt; season with pepper.  Toss in beans.  Serve warm.


 

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Count-Down to Thanksgiving Dinner- Butternut Bisque

Posted in Everyday Food, Marthaspeak, tagged , , , , , , on November 19, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Cucurbita pepo (butternut squash). Location: M...

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Things are beginning to look like Thanksgiving around my house.  Today Peter is setting up the large table top we attach to our small apartment-sized table and as of now, ingredients are beginning to populate the counters.  Had to check on how much granulated sugar I had and where or where is that damn Sherry Vinegar?  I’ve made the soup and froze it so at least one dish is done.

BUTTERNUT BISQUE

3 TBS butter ( I use unsalted)

1 medium onion coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves sliced ( I used 3)

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

coarse salt

1 large butternut squash (4lbs) peeled, seeded and cubed

1 can reduced sodium chicken broth

1 cup half & half

1 TBs lemon juice

sour cream for serving

In large saucepan, heat butter over MEDIUM,  add onion, garlic , thyme, cinnamon and cayenne, stirring occasionally till onion softens 5-7 min.

Add squash, broth, half & half and 3 cups of water. Bring to boil; reduce to simmer, and cook till squash is tender – about 20 min.

Working in batches, puree in blender till smooth (I used immersion blender right in pot all at once).  Stir in lemon juice, season with salt.  Serve bisque with sour cream and dash of cayenne (if desired).

Recipe from Martha Stewart’s Every Day Food




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Count-Down to Thanksgiving Cranberry-Ginger Relish

Posted in Everyday Food, Marthaspeak, Tasty Tidbits Tuesday, tagged , , , , , , , on November 16, 2010| 3 Comments »

Tasty Tidbits Tuesday

There will be NO canned jellied cranberry sauce on the Thanksgiving dinner table this year.  For the past three years I’ve been making a delicious Cranberry-Ginger Relish AND also putting out some of that sugary sweet gelatinous purple glop known as Jellied Cranberry Sauce because one person says they like it. Nope, not this year!  You’ll just have to get over your fear of real fruit and texture!  This relish is truly delicious so I hope some of you will try it. You can make it at least 3 days in advance and for those of us who are hosting,,,,we know that’s a blessing.

1 bag fresh or frozen cranberries

1 cup of sugar ( I use a slightly less)

1 TBS grated fresh ginger

2 TBS sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar

In a large saucepan, bring cranberries, sugar, ginger, and 2 TBS water to  a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until most of the cranberries have popped. 10-15 minutes.  Stir in vinegar.

Recipe from Martha Stewart’s Every Day Food

Remove relish from heat.  Cool to room temperature and serve or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Believe me you will never eat canned jellied cranberry sauce again (no offense to Ocean Spray).

fresh ginger, Ocean Spray jellied sauce,

Tangy Tart and Ruby Red

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Count Down to Thanksgiving-Great Salad Side

Posted in Everyday Food, Marthaspeak, tagged , , , , , on November 12, 2010| 1 Comment »

For years I struggled with trying to find an appropriate salad to serve on Thanksgiving Day.  Salad itself presents the problem of necessitating another plate on a crowded table.  However with so many carbs on the table, I like to have a light dish to balance out the meal. This is the salad I’m serving this year.

Escarole, Persimmons, Pomegranate Seeds w/Lemon-Shallot Dressing

3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3-4 lemons)

1/4 cup minced shallots

2 TBS grainy mustard

2 TBS chopped fresh marjoram

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp coarse salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

2 heads escarole, washed and torn into bite-size pieces

5 Fuyu persimmons, very thinly sliced

Seeds of 1 pomegranate

Combine the lemon juice, shallots mustard and marjoram in a medium bowl, and whisk to combine.  Slowly add olive oil, whisking constantly, until incorporated.  Season with salt and pepper.

Toss escarole with just enough vinaigrette to coat.  Arrange persimmon slices over greens and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, if using.  Serve remaining vinaigrette on the side.

Thanksgiving salad, pomegranate seeds

Heart Healthy Too!

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Cooking Up a Storm

Posted in BY THE WAY, Everyday Food, Marthaspeak, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 7, 2010| 2 Comments »

Linguine

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Now there’s a crazy phrase! Let’s see how do you bake a tornado, or souffle a hurricane? Well look for this one sometime in the future in another blog.  Today is really about cooking;  what’s in the crock pot right now is Slow-Cooked Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey and it smells so good, the whole house is filled with the aroma.  I started on Saturday morning cooking;  Into the crock pot went the makings of Slow-Cooked Beef Minestrone see previous blog for recipe:

https://pbenjay.wordpress.com/2010/09/29/slow-cooked-beef-minestrone/. And while that was simmering all day, I decided to make some Roasted Chicken and Butternut Squash Soup also published in a previous blog: https://pbenjay.wordpress.com/2010/10/05/roasted-chicken-and-butternut-squash-soup. It wasn’t really that cold this weekend so I’m not sure where the urge to soup-things-up came from but nonetheless, I love soups and am glad I now have a few containers of Minestrone in the freezer.

Last night’s dinner was the Roasted Chicken and Butternut Squash soup and when asked by you know who,“what’s for dinner”? and I told him, I got a less than enthusiastic reply.  I was informed that soup didn’t sound like much of a meal.  First of all I had to remind him that he has had it before and has remarked that “its a meal all by itself” because this soup is chunky, thick and full of chicken too.  So I thought about it and had recently seen a pasta recipe that I considered light- so why not make that as well.  Linguine with Lemon Cream Sauce was delightful, I loved it and I never really told you know who that it had cream in it.

Linguine with Lemon Cream Sauce

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1# Linguine

1 tsp. Olive Oil

2 Shallots, minced

1 cup of Heavy Cream

1 TBSP Lemon Zest (1 lemon)

2 TBSP Lemon juice

Cook pasta and reserve 2 cups of  pasta water.  Drain and return to pot.  Cook shallots in oil in small pot over MEDIUM heat till tender (4 min).  Add cream and lemon zest and bring to boil and cook until slightly thickened ( I stirred almost constantly) about 8 minutes.  Add lemon juice, salt, pepper.  I added some pasta water at that point, judging the consistency as I like it.  I also sprinkled some grated cheese over the top also.

Recipe from Martha Stewart’s Every Day Food


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GROWN-UP GRILLED CHEESE

Posted in Everyday Food, Marthaspeak, Tasty Tidbits Tuesday, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on October 19, 2010| 4 Comments »

Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Image via Wikipedia

Tasty Tidbits Tuesday

I just went for my annual check up and had what I already knew to be resoundingly confirmed: my cholesterol level is high.  Actually much higher than it should be.  It has been for over a year and every six months I tell my internist that I’m going to change my diet and bring it down.  So last year I brought it down but not low enough. Now it’s even higher soooooo….. it looks like medication is the only route left to take.  Therefore, I thought I would post a couple of great recipes for salmon and cod.  And maybe I will BUT not today after all. It’s Fall and time to start thinking about warm, cozy food and as I was leafing through Martha Stewart‘s LIVING (October) I came across this yummlicious recipe for a grilled cheese sandwich – grown-up style!

Think of this iconic sandwich as a blank canvas for those leftovers in your refrigerator; a heel of cheese, arugula, a piece of two of prosciutto and a final spoonful of jam or harissa (THIS does NOT sound like my fridge!)

Cheddar, Gruyère, and Fontina are all fine melting cheeses that offer an adult layer of complexity, nuttiness, and sharpness.  Swap in sourdough, or rye bread and the sandwich gets even more interesting – yet stays quite simple.  Martha suggests 9 variations:

  1. Gruyère, Apple, and Sage on Rye
  2. Gruyère, Red Onion, Prosciutto, and Pepper on Rye
  3. Fontina, Harissa, and Pear on Rye
  4. Cheddar, Dijon Mustard, Bacon, Tomatoes, Avocado and Pepper on Sourdough
  5. Cheddar, Jalapeno, and Cilantro onWhite
  6. Gruyère, Oil-Packed Sardines, Peppedew Peppers and Arugula on Rye.
  7. Cheddar, Cherry Preserves, and Basil on White
  8. Fontina, Oil-Packed Tuna, and Relish on White
  9. Cheddar, Bacon, and Pickles on Sourdough

Butter (room temperature) the inside and outside of both slices of bread, making sure to cover the surfaces.  Preheat a well-seasoned cast iron pan over MEDIUM heat.  Add the assembled sandwich.  Once the cheese starts to melt and the bread on the bottom is golden brown, flip the sandwich.(Avoid pressing with spatula, the goal is a fluffy sandwich, not a panino.)  Grill until cheese has fully melted and the other side is golden brown.

Mustard spread on the inside complements most cheeses.  Fruit preserves make a sweet and sometimes tart foil to savory cheeses.


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Impromptu Dinner for 5 on Friday

Posted in Everyday Food, Marthaspeak, Tasty Tidbits Tuesday, tagged , , , , , , , , on October 11, 2010| 5 Comments »

You know the thing about Costco is the darn size of everything!  You go to buy a can of Comet but if you want one, you need to buy a 3-pack.  Need some chicken broth? You have to buy 6 cartons, and the Salsa comes in giant jars, like the pickles and the olive oil.  Big is better, things are cheaper by the dozen, large economy size means economy BUT where oh where to put/store/stash this stuff,  I mean my bargains!

And the samples!!!! Perfect way to get suckered in.  We now have Madras lentils, Pot Stickers, Spinach Ravioli, Stacey’s Pita Chips and a GIANT Chicken Pot Pie!! Every trip home from Costco entails emptying the freezer and re-arranging the huge bags of Broccoli Flowerets, Tortellini, Chicken Breasts, Salmon Burgers, Blueberries and after all that shuffling and stuffing and pushing and squeezing, there is NO ROOM for the Chicken Pot Pie.  Not even sure what possessed me to buy it in the first place since it could clearly feed 8 people and our table only seats 5.   By the way, I can never get ALL the frozen food in our freezer at the shore and half of it is going back to New York with us – BUT how to keep it frozen till we are on our way home?

Luckily for me, we are friends with Dick and Jane (yes those are their real names), who own an Inn in Ocean Grove and she lets me store my Manhattan-bound food stuffs in a freezer in the Tea Room.  So last weekend I loaded up her freezer with bags of frozen food to take to New York and when I went to retrieve it I realized that NOT ONLY could I NOT fit the pot pie in my freezer bag and if I got it home, it wouldn’t fit in my apartment freezer either.  Good  thing Jane let me leave it there!!

Obviously the pie was way too big for Peter and I so when in doubt or in trouble, think What Would Martha Do? So, I invited friends for dinner.  I had already asked Heide to dine with us on Friday night and so I asked Dick and Jane to join us too.  Heide graciously asked what could she bring and I said without a moment’s hesitation, “your plum tart”. Jane said she would bring wine and the dinner menu was taking shape.

Chicken Pot Pie seemed Southern to me and even though I know it isn’t particulary Southern anymore than it is exclusively Irish or New England fare, tonight it was going to be Southern.  I decided to make Collard Greens – never have made them before BUT Wegman’s to the rescue.  I had a brochure from the store that I had saved from last year all about braising greens.  Seemed simple enough and it was.  The Collard Greens would satisfy Peter’s insistence of a green vegetable at dinner and I thought a salad would be refreshing but then I remembered that Dick really can’t eat a lot of greens so I set out to buy a head of cauliflower to bake.  Inspiration was running high so I decided to bake some drop biscuits too – love those Bisquick biscuits.

BAKED WHOLE CAULIFLOWER

1 head of Cauliflower                                                                        Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup margarine melted

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp salt

pinch of dried oregano

pinch of red pepper flakes

Place whole head in steamer in 1″ water. Bring to boil over med heat and cook till tender about 20 minutes.

Mix bread crumbs, margarine, cheese.  Season with garlic powder, salt, pepper and oregano.  Put cauliflower in baking dish and coat with bread crumb mixture.

Bake 10-15 minutes till golden brown.

Recipe from Martha Stewart’s Every Day Food.

COLLARD GREENS

Add 6 cups of water, 2-3 Tbsp lemon juice, 6 cloves of garlic (or 2 Tbsp minced), 1 Tbsp salt, 1/2 cup pure olive oil to braising pan on HIGH.

Add greens and bring to a boil and cover.

Cook until tender – Greens will change color as they cook (depending on the greens) 5-30 minutes.

Transfer to serving dish, season to taste and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Recipe from Wegman’s

 

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Roasted Chicken and Butternut Squash Soup and…

Posted in Everyday Food, Marthaspeak, Tasty Tidbits Tuesday, tagged , , , , , , , on October 5, 2010| 2 Comments »

TASTY TIDBIT TUESDAY

I had such a good time cooking on Sunday; while my Pasta Fagiole was simmering away in my crock pot, I made another soup in a stock pot.  If you are a working woman, you know why I’m cooking on Sunday to serve during the week and to freeze for that oh my God, I have nothing to make for dinner night.   This very soup is for tonight – I just have to heat it up when we get home from the movies.  I just can’t start cooking at 8:30pm, because if I do, I’ll be up till 1am on the computer.

Roasted Chicken anButternut Squash Soup

4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs

1 medium butternut squash (about 2 1/2 lbs), peeled, seeded, diced medium

1 small yellow onion diced medium

2 tbsp olive oil

coarse salt and ground pepper

ground cumin and ground coriander

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet, toss together the chicken, butternut squash, the onion and the oil. Season with coarse salt and pepper.  Arrange in a single layer and roast till squash and chicken are cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Transfer chicken to a plate and let cool. Transfer squash and onions to a medium pot and add 4 cups of low-sodium chicken broth or water and 1/4 tsp each ground cumin and ground coriander.  Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.  With potato masher or back of wooden spoon, mash some vegetables till mixture is thick and  chunky.  Discard the skin and bones from chicken; cut meat into small pieces and add to soup.  Stir in 1-2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice, season to taste. Serve topped with fresh cilantro if desired.

recipe from Martha Stewart’s Every Day Food

Although this soup is full of fiber, Vitamin C and Beta-carotene, my husband doesn’t think he has had a meal unless there is a green vegetable!  On Saturday night I prepared some pan-steamed broccoletti using a method and recipe that Gus, my favorite Wegman’s chef had made and we sampled that day.  So tonight with a bag of baby spinach in the fridge, I’m going to prepare the spinach the same way.  It’s so simple and the most  aspect to this is: I hate anchovies!, so needless to say when Gus said you put an anchovy in the oil, I started to make faces and squeamish sounds.  He assured me I would not taste the anchovy and gave me a sample – He was right, of course.  Here’s the method which is good way to prepare your vegetables. 

Pan-Steamed Vegetable Technique

1/4 cup of olive oil

2 tsp chopped garlic,

1 or 2 anchovy fillets (or 1 1/2 tsp capers or 1 1/2 tsp olive tapenade)

1 1/2 lbs. vegetable

1/2 cup water

salt and cracked pepper to taste.

Heat the olive oil, garlic and anchovy on MEDIUM-LOW.  Cook stirring 2-3 minutes till anchovy dissolves.  Raise heat to HIGH. Add water, vegetables and salt. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer; cover.  Cook stirring occasionally 8-12 minutes or until water is evaporated.  Season to taste, finish with a squeeze of lemon juice, grated cheese and red pepper flakes if desired.

What I learned: Gus suggested if you are using anchovy fillets, you should probably skip the salt (I did).  I also used 4 fillets (I still can’t believe it although I made my husband take them out of the jar) and still no anchovy taste however, I used two bunches of the broccoletti.  The vegetables suggested by Wegman’s are thick and fibrous; cauliflower, broccoletti, romanesco, broccoli, green beans – they’re not leafy like my spinach so I’m not going to use that amount of water, I think the spinach would drown.

 Recipe from Wegman’s MENU magazine

 

 

 

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